I note that there is no contradiction involved in these things. William lane craig has refined it to make it the cornerstone of his argument for the existence of the god of christianity. William lane craig is a theologian whom i have encountered before because of his advocacy of what is known as. In professor mackie and the kalam cosmological argument religious studies, xx 1984, 36775, professor william lane craig undertakes to demonstrate that j. The kalam cosmological argument by william lane craig. The kalam cosmological argument what we call today the kalam cosmological argument, was first made by aristotle and then by islamic scholars in the 9th century. The argument, in its simplest form, is that i whatever begins to. The kalam cosmological argument and the principle of sufficient reason david s. Reasonable faith features the work of philosopher and theologian dr. Cosmological argument stanford encyclopedia of philosophy.
Though cosmological arguments in general have been one of the traditional groups of arguments for theism, the kalam cosmological argument has not enjoyed as much attention until craigs more recent exposition. The most simple criticism of the kalam cosmological argument. A swift and simple refutation of the kalam cosmological argument. Craig focuses on the scientific evidence for the premises of the kalam cosmological argument for a personal creator of the universe. Mcleod, problems in contemporary philosophy 24 lewiston, n. The kalam cosmological argument william lane craig talbot school of theology, usa and james sinclair warfare analyst, usa 2. The kalam cosmological argument is constructed as follows. Craig may perhaps not unreasonably be accused of emphasizing intuitions that support the picture of creation he wishes to defend, and neglecting those that dont. It is then argued that the cause of those things existence had to be a godtype thing. William lane craig, the kalam cosmological argument, 108.
Kalam cosmological argument for first cause of beginning of universe a. A refutation of the kalam cosmological argument for god. Eternity and time in william lane craigs kalam cosmological. In his book, craig argues that since the universe began to exist, the efficient cause of the universes existence must have been god. The kalam cosmological argument deploys the following causal principle. The kalam cosmological argument essay 1100 words cram. Sinclair, 2009, the kalam cosmological argument, in craig and moreland 2009. He holds faculty positions at talbot school of theology biola university, and houston baptist university. William lane craig born august 23, 1949 is an american analytic philosopher and christian theologian, historian, and apologist. I think william lane craigs version of the kalam cosmological argument has several problems, but maybe the most straightforward is that it equivocates on the word universe. Of the many ongoing debates to answer this question, william craig examines one of the most controversial proofs for the existence of god. Eq 6 explain william lane craigs kalam cosmological. The kalam cosmological argument as oft stated by theists, most notably william lane craig, is as follows. The kalam cosmological argument, volume 1 ebook by.
Craigs kca is a variation of the centuriesold cosmological argument originating in islamic philosophy which argues for the existence of a personal first cause for the universe. William lane craig has offered and defended various accounts that seek to establish the necessary and sufficient conditions for when something begins to exist. William lane craig perhaps, the most well known proponent of the kalam cosmological argument gives a presentation on the philosophical the impossibility of an actual infinite number of things. As a boy i wondered at the existence of the universe. Here is william lane craigs response, and here is morristons counter. Lawhead, the symmetry of the past and future in the kalam cosmological argument, and robert prevost, classical theism and the kalam principle, in the logic of rational theism, ed.
Craig explains and evaluates, and later defends, ghazalis cosmological argument. God, time and the kalam cosmological argument springer. A defense of the kalam cosmological argument and the b. Academy pod stars applesauce scandalous beauty a makeup and beauty podcast by erin baynham cubbie correlation elevate christian disability trust indian raaga on party 934 smoking between the cars. It was popularized by william lane craig in his book, the kalam cosmological argument 1979. The scientific kalam cosmological argument reasonable faith. Excerpt from arguing about gods graham oppy monash university, australia 8. The kalam cosmological argument william lane craig auth. On the kalam cosmological argument common sense atheism. The question of the metaphysical possibility of an infinite set of real entities showed that the argument by william lane craig and others that real infinites are metaphysically impossible presupposes the standard version sv of how cantorian set theory presumably applies to the real world.
The sources used in this presentation are documented according to current modern language association standards. Introduction to the kalam cosmological argument calum miller. In this paper i present objections to the kalam cosmological argument kca, a modernized formulation of the general class of cosmological arguments for the existence of god. Eq 6 explain william lane craigs kalam cosmological argument. Everything that begins to exist has a cause of its existence. In my experience, both wlc and other apologist use the word universe in a myriad of different ways, depending on what part of the argument they are trying to support. William lane craig, the kalam cosmological argument, the macmillan press ltd, 1979, p. Craig has updated and defended the kalam cosmological argument for the existence of god. How to defend the kalam cosmological argument just like. The kalam argument popular writings reasonable faith. Craig is best known for his version of the kalam cosmological argument kca. May 03, 2012 william lane craig perhaps, the most well known proponent of the kalam cosmological argument gives a presentation on the philosophical the impossibility of an actual infinite number of things. W e discuss both premises of the argument in the light of modern logi cal, semantic and cosmological insights and conclude that.
Lane craig believes that whatever is the first cause of the universe must be i immaterial and ii a person. Originally developed by arab islamic scholars in middle ages 2. You are only justified in inferring such causes as are sufficient to explain the effect. The expansion of the universe points to its beginningto a big bangas one retraces the universes expansion in time. Sinclair, the kalam cosmological argument, in the blackwell companion to natural theology, ed. Kalam cosmological argument william lane craig palgrave. In 1979, craig popularized this argument, based on his aforementioned ph. Universe had a beginning at some moment in finite past and since something cant come from nothing, there must be a transcendent cause which. The kalam cosmological argument books store apologetics. A defense of the kalam cosmological argument and the btheory. Yet, under what conditions does something begin to exist. The aim of this work is not, however, to show that the kca is.
Specifically, i focus on the philosopher william lane craigs defense of the argument given in his academic writings, public debates, and online articles. Craigs 2015 lecture at the university of birmingham, where he did his doctoral studies which led to the revival of the kalam cosmological argument in our day. Craig provides a broad assessment of the argument in lieu of recent developments in philosophy, mathematics, science and. I will list each one by name and explain the main problem with each. This paper examines the kalam cosmological argument, as put forward by william craig. He has authored or edited over forty books, including theism, atheism, and big bang cosmology 1995, god, time, and eternity 2001, and god over all 2016, as well as over 150 articles in journals such as the journal of philosophy, american philosophical quarterly. What does it mean to say that x begins to exist at t. William lane craig and aims to provide in the public. William lane craig advances an argument for the existence of god in the kalam cosmological argument london. Very often the universe will be described as the proverbial free lunch. Similarly, in light of both philosophical argument and scientific evidence, its second premiss, though more controversial, is again more plausibly true than its negation.
William lane craig is a theologian whom i have encountered before because of his advocacy of what is known as divine command theory that asserts that things are morally good or bad, or morally obligatory, permissible, or prohibited, solely because of gods will or commands, and results in him justifying the most horrendous atrocities, both biblical and contemporary. Craig, mackie, and the kalam cosmological argument. William lane craig comments, ockhams razor says do not multiply causes beyond necessity. This contains an exhaustive bibliography on the kalam cosmological argument. In this published research paper from the journal astrophysics and space science, william lane craig responds to the several naturalistic attempts to evade the implications of the kalam argument.
Graham oppy on the kalam cosmological argument william lane craig talbot school of theology, usa 9. Why the big bang singularity does not help the kalam cosmological. The scientific kalam cosmological argument william lane craig. A defense of the kalam cosmological argument and the btheory of time curtis j. A swift and simple refutation of the kalam cosmological. This is a particular form of the cosmological argument developed in a modern form primarily by william lane craig. William lane craig has revived interest in the medieval kalam argument to the point where it is now one of the most discussed arguments for gods existence in the secondary literature. The temporal finiteness of the universe is based upon philosophical arguments for the presumed impossibility of an actual infinity of past events and is. What follows is a short presentation of the kalam cosmological argument for the existence of god. Acknowledgments foreword introduction paul copan palm beach atlantic university, usa inductive arguments 2. Pdf kalam cosmological argument and the modern science. Explain how craig argues for claim ii the kalam argument needs to provide some reason to think the that first cause is a person or a being capable of free and intentional action. Craig infers the existence of a personal god from the supposedly finite past of the universe.
The ancient kalam cosmological argument maintains that the series of past events is finite and that therefore the universe began to exist. Two recent scientific discoveries have yielded plausible prima facie physical evidence for the beginning of the universe. William lane craig is a professor of philosophy at talbot school of theology and at houston baptist university, usa. Mackies analysis of the kalam cosmological argument in the miracle of theism oxford university press, oxford, 1982 is superficial, and that mackie has failed to provide any compelling or even intuitively appealing.
He holds faculty positions at talbot school of theology biola university and houston baptist university. You have probably heard all the points and probably know them by heart. The cosmological argument derives its title from observing the world around us the cosmos. Craig provides a broad assessment of the argument in lieu of recent developments in philosophy, mathematics, science and theology. May 24, 2000 of the many ongoing debates to answer this question, william craig examines one of the most controversial proofs for the existence of god. Metcalfe abstract william lane craig is the most recognizable contemporary defender of the kalam cosmological argument. I think william lane craig s version of the kalam cosmological argument has several problems, but maybe the most straightforward is that it equivocates on the word universe. The first premiss of the kalam cosmological argument is obviously more plausibly true than its contradictory.